


Scattered Sakura Petals by the Shore

by isitloveorsaba



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future Fish, Everything may change, Friends to Lovers, Kind of a profession swap, Kinda, Merman Matsuoka Rin, Officer!Haru, Police Officer Nanase Haruka, Rating May Change, Tags May Change, merman!Rin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-04-14 18:03:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4574445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isitloveorsaba/pseuds/isitloveorsaba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru finds a beautiful wounded merman when he escapes to the beach while on duty and takes him home.</p><p>(Starts with Haru & Rin and develops towards HaruRin.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sakura Petal: One

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to [kaksinaisuus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kaksinaisuus) and [panthera_pardus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/panthera_pardus) :3 <3
> 
> We are fascinated with the thought when we found [this](http://baenase.co.vu/post/126456183413/for-the-future-festival-day-8-uniform-swap-or) on Tumblr the other day then I said why not. Also please go give some love to the artist as well because she obviously deserves that :3
> 
> Also~ we are inspired by [dolleye](http://archiveofourown.org/users/dolleye)'s "Tales from Rin's Bathtub" as well :) I recommend that too, it's worth reading :3
> 
> Lastly~ this is my first work so constructive criticisms are appreciated :)
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

Haruka was wandering around on the gold colored sands of the beach. No, he was supposed to be patrolling right now but here he was, watching ocean waves and sunset. Sometimes he thought, by being a police officer, he chose wrong profession. He was never close to the ocean enough. Still, he liked his job and was happy with these little escapades of his. His colleagues also had no complaints, since he was quite hard worker and perfectionist, so everyone was happy.

Smiling to his thoughts about how Makoto, his childhood friend who was a firefighter, would react if he heard he “escaped” to the beach when he was on duty, he continued to walk aimlessly. Then a beautiful pinkish shine caught his eyes on the rocky side of the beach. No one would go there since there were too many big rocks, obviously, so Haruka wondered what could be shining like that and turned his steps towards there.

When he got to the spot where he saw the glow first, he couldn’t believe his eyes. On the one of the biggest rocks, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen was laying on its back. A merman. It was trying hard to be freed itself from a fishing net tangled around its tail. _No, his tail,_ Haruka thought. It was obviously a male. Despite his sakura colored tail with the same colored fins with reddish ends, he had the upper body of a young man. He had maroon hair and red eyes… with tears flowing down from both. _I have to help him_ , Haruka thought. He was obviously in pain and Haruka couldn’t stand seeing him like that.

The beautiful merman didn’t notice Haruka until he came closer to him with the intention of helping. When he noticed him though, he narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth… and hissed at Haruka. _He has every right to be aggressive,_ Haruka thought. _This is obviously a man’s doing_.

In order to calm him down, Haruka cracked a small soft smile, as raising his hands up in the air to show he wasn’t holding something.

“I want to help you.”

The merman looked at him curiously for a moment, with a timid expression on his face. Then he hissed again and spoke in a cracked voice. And with an accent Haruka had never heard before.

“… Go… away.”

Haruka stopped on his spot for a moment then crouched and started to untangle the fishing net slowly as speaking in a soothing voice.

“I’m trying to help.”

Making a pained sound, the merman clawed his wrists in panic. “Go away!”

Haruka winced a bit but didn’t stop. _He has claws_ , he thought. _And he doesn’t understand me apparently._ So instead of trying to explain, he decided to untangle the fishing net as soon as possible.

After untangling the net, Haruka examined the merman’s tail closely. The net caused some cuts and some of them were deep. _He needs some serious care_. Haruka turned his look at the merman’s eyes, with the same soft slight smile on his face.

“Are you okay now?”

Merman looked back at him with the same curious and timid expression. But mostly curious this time. Tears was still somehow falling down but he mostly calmed down.

“… Water.”

Haruka blinked few times and asked unsurely. “Water?”

“Water.”

Haruka paused a bit. “Do you want to… drink water?”

Merman wiggled his tail as wincing his face in pain. And he was clearly crying now. “Water!”

Haruka widens his eyes in panic. “Okay okay, don’t cry… Umm… Water…” Then he suddenly found out what merman was trying to say. “Oh… You want to get into the water… But your wounds will probably burn if you get into the salty water.” He paused for a moment looking into merman’s curious eyes. “It’s good for both of us that I have my car with me today.” He checked his watch. "And now I'm off duty."

 

Haruka kicked the door close after getting into his house carrying the merman in his arms and started to walk slowly to his bathroom. “It’s good that my next-door neighbor wasn’t around. She is an old lady who wants to kn---” Haruka stopped talking when his eyes met with the merman’s curious ones. “You really don’t understand a word I say, right?” As an answer, the merman continued looking at him silently. Haruka sighed.

He put the merman into his bathtub trying not to hurt him. The merman was still looking in the same way, but this time not only at Haruka but everywhere. When Haruka started to deal with his wounds delicately, he turned his look at Haruka with a slight fear in his eyes.

Haruka cracked one of his rare smiles and spoke slowly. “I am cleaning your wounds. Then I will bandage them. After that… I will fill the bathtub with water .”

With the word ‘water’, merman smiled widely. “Water?” He tried to straighten up with joy but wincing sat back again and his eyes started to get watery. “Tail… Hurt…”

“I know. But you have to be patient a little bit more.” Tending the wounds, Haruka murmured to himself. “And we should do something about the language matter as well I guess.”

“What… language?”

“Language… Um… I mean, we should do something so that we can understand each other better.”

Merman looked at Haruka curiously, without saying anything.

Haruka stood up. “Now we can fill the bathtub I think.” He opened the water and sitting on the edge of the bathtub waited for the bathtub to fill silently. Then merman’s soft voice broke the silence.

“You… Who?”

Haruka raised his brows slightly then answered pointing at himself. “Haru.” Then he pointed merman. “You?”

Merman paused a moment then also answered doing the same gesture. “Rin.”

Haruka smiled slightly. “Nice to meet you Rin.”

Turning off the water, Haruka stood up again. “You are probably hungry, right? I will bring something.”

When he turned to get out of the bathroom, he felt Rin holding his hand and turned his look at him. Rin was looking at himself… apologetically?

“What happened?”

“…Wound.”

Haruka looked down at his wrist. “Huh?” Seeing the scratches Rin made back at the beach, he understood. “Oh that… It’s okay, no need t—”

Haruka stopped talking with wide eyes and froze when Rin started licking the scratches softly. After licking them clean, Rin smiled Haruka widely and let go of his hand. “Better.”

Blinking few times, Haruka looked at his wrist. The scratches seemed like almost healed. “I… Thank you Rin.” Then Haruka smiled at him warmly and left the bathroom to bring them food, leaving Rin grinning like a 5 year old kid.

 

Haruka returned with two plates of mackerel, one grilled and one raw.

“I… couldn’t be sure how you want to eat so… I can go grill this one as well if you want.”

Rin looked at both plates curiously then took the raw fish in his hand after smelling the grilled one and making a face. Haruka sat on the edge of the bathtub and started eating his food, watching Rin’s every gesture and facial expression. Rin took a bite from his fish. _Now I noticed, he has shark-like teeth_ , Haruka thought. At that moment, Rin raised his look from his fish and looked at Haruka timidly as if he heard Haruka’s inner conversation.

“I am not food.”

Rin’s sudden sentence took Haruka aback. “… Food? I… I know that. Wait… Did somebody…?” Haruka left what he was saying unfinished when he saw the fear in Rin’s eyes. “Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”

Rin looked at Haruka without speaking then grinned and continued eating his fish.

_He is like a little child._

When Rin finished his fish, he also watched Haruka eating, really like a curious kid, then looked into his eyes. “Sleep.”

Haruka left the plates aside. “Do you want to sleep? Okay… Here or in bed?”

Rin looked at Haruka questioningly. “… Bed? … More water?”

“Right… Hmm… No but… Since we can’t communicate well enough, I think I should show that to you.”

He lifted Rin in his arms despite his panicked objections to return back into the water and the water dripping down on themselves. His house was used to these kind of things after all. He carried Rin into his bedroom and put him on the bed gently. “This is a bed. Here or in the water?”

Rin straightened on his elbows and Haruka noticed that he was moving his tail slightly time to time and he could do that a bit more easily now. However, he still had an uneasy expression on his face, not related with his wounds. “This… Not water… Water!”

Haruka smiled slightly. “Okay okay… Calm down. Then… We can sleep in the water? Together?”

Sleeping in the water wasn’t too strange to Haruka. In fact, he fell asleep in his bathtub time to time. And now he thought it was a good decision to buy a rather bigger bathtub.

Rin gaped at Haruka. “Together? You… Sleep in water? How?”

“I don’t want to leave you alone in a place you don’t know. Also… I can sleep in the water, don’t worry.”

He lifted Rin in his arms again and carried him back to the bathroom. He noticed Rin wrapping his arms around his neck to… feel secure as being carried probably.

He put Rin back in the bathtub then took off his clothes except his swimming trunks. Yes, of course he was wearing them under his uniform. He observed the situation a bit to find the right place to sit then, making Rin sit up, sat behind him comfortably enough to sleep. He let Rin lean his back on his own chest as well and tried to keep his hands on the edges on the bathtub in order not to make Rin uncomfortable.

Rin watched Haruka’s every action as if he was seeing them for the first time in his life. Well, probably he was. After Haruka let him lean his back, Rin touched on the fabric of the trunks on Haruka’s thigh curiously, but also hesitantly. Then he pulled his hand back on his own abdomen, the spot where his tail started.

Noticing his hesitance Haruka spoke in a soft voice, just beside Rin’s temple. “You can touch if you want.”

Rin glanced up to Haruka with the corner of his eyes then touched on the fabric once again, longer this time. Then he held Haruka’s hands on the edges on the bathtub from their wrists and wrapping them around his waist, drifted into sleep. “… Night.”

Thinking what happened that day, Haruka watched Rin sleep a bit then smiled and whispered before drifting into sleep as well. “Good night, Rin.”


	2. Sakura Petal: Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin and Haru's first morning together. Mostly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was planning to write one day in each chapter but seems like chapters will be too long that way. As a reader, I'm not really fond of long chapters so I wanted to keep it short as a writer as well... :)
> 
> So~ here it is, their first morning and second evening together :)
> 
> Also, to make it clear, I'm not sure how the shifts of Japanese law enforcement are so I decided to write Haru's shift kinda similar to the one in our country since one of my family members is a police officer too :3
> 
> Before I forget, special thanks to [kaksinaisuus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kaksinaisuus) and [panthera_pardus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/panthera_pardus) :3 <3
> 
> Hope you all enjoy~!

Haruka woke up with the feeling of soft touches on his face. He smiled slightly to the warm feeling without opening his eyes. Then realization hit him.

_I am living alone?_

Frowning a bit, he opened his eyes and fixed his look on a curious Rin who was simply laying on his side on Haruka’s chest, his head on Haruka’s collarbone… and who started to beam and grin at the moment he opened his eyes.

“Good… morning Haru.”

Haruka remembered the day before part by part. The morning, the station, he leaving early to go to the beach, finding Rin, bringing him home… After blinking and trying to wake up fully, Haruka gave Rin a small smile.

“Good morning… Uh, you kinda surprised me.”

Rin frowned a bit in surprise and raised his head to look into Haruka’s oceanic eyes. “Me? Why?”

“I… thought I was still living alone so…”

Rin widened his eyes a bit with realization. “Oh… Sorry. I am curious about you. I don’t see a human this close before.”

Haruka frowned a bit. “We still should do something about your language thing… Wait…” Realizing, Haruka tried to sit up. “You’re forming proper sentences. Well, kinda…”

Blinking his eyes, Rin looked Haruka a bit as if he was trying to understand what he meant. “Forming proper sentences? Oh… I speak like this because I have these.” At the other end of the bathtub, he raised his feet and wiggled them for Haruka to notice.

_Wait… Feet?_

“Wait Rin… You had a quite beautiful tail last night; how come you have feet now?” Haruka slided his look on Rin’s strong-looked calfs then his distinctive knees then his well-shaped muscled thighs then… Blushing a bit, Haruka turned his look at the ceiling. “You are naked. Why are you naked?”

Rin looked at Haruka like a surprised owlet. “Naked?... This? I have these… feet. I have feet when I am not in the water. But I don’t have these…” Rin signed the clothes Haruka took off the night before, “so I am… naked.”

“Oh… I see… But you’re in the w---” Turning his look at the bathtub, Haruka noticed they weren’t in the water in fact. “What happened to the water?”

“I empty it… Your lips is…purple when you sleep so…” He touched Haruka’s lips for a brief moment. “I taked this out.” Rin showed the plug on the bathroom floor to Haruka, grinning.

“I see… Well... Thank you. And I should bring something to wear for you. If you let me…” He tapped on Rin’s shoulder gently to make him sit up, then got out of the bathtub. Then we can have breakfast. And since you look like a human, you should eat like a human too.”

Rin pulled his knees towards himself and putting his chin on them, watched Haruka drying himself... for no reason in fact. “Eating like a human?”

“You should try grilled mackerel, it’s more delicious that way. Actually… You didn’t like it last night, remember?” Giving up on drying his already dry hair, Haruka hung his towel around his neck.

“M-hm I remember… I don’t like its smell last night… I want to try… Can I cook?”

Haruka smiled slightly to Rin’s question. “Do you want to learn how to cook?”

Beaming, Rin nodded excitedly. “Yes!”

 “Well okay, but you should be careful… and I should find you some clothes before that. So, wait here a bit, would you? I’ll be right back.”

After getting a nod of approval, Haruka left the room.

 

Ten minutes later, Haruka came back to the bathroom with a boxer, a hoodie, sweatpants and one of his loosey-kun t-shirts. He also wore his clothes, a navy v-neck long sleeve loosey-kun t-shirt and gray sweatpants, nothing special.

“Sorry… This took a bit but it was hard to find something for you, I guess you’re a bit taller than me… But I found these. Also I called the station to take a couple of 'emergency' day offs, since I wouldn't be home tomorrow night if I didn't. So, this means I will be at home for the next couple of days… Okay, why are you standing?”

Rin was out of the bathtub, and was looking at the bathroom mirror curiously when Haruka entered, explaining himself. “I… There is someone… look like me there.”

“No, it’s a mirror. It’s just your reflection. See?” Stepping behind Rin, Haruka waved his hand to him through the mirror.

Rin watched both Haruka and his reflection with wide eyes. “It is like… ocean reflects the sun.”

“Not quite but yeah… And here, wear these.” He handed the clothes to Rin.

Rin looked at clothes for a moment blankly and Haruka realized. “I think it would be better if I help you.”

And he did. Luckily for him, Rin was a quick learner. Also, he was a good observer too so while he was dressing up, he tried to the reverse things Haruka did the night before, while stripping.

When they were both dressed, Haruka checked Rin out… to see if anything was wrong of course. Almost satisfied with what he saw, he took his brush and tried to tame Rin’s hair. But, it was impossible.

“Is your hair always like this?”

Watching Haruka’s expressions closely, Rin nodded lightly. “It… don’t come before my eyes like this” He touched his rebellious bangs, “…in the water but outside, it is always like this.”

Without saying anything, Haruka also nodded lightly. _Right_. He left the brush aside then looked into Rin’s ruby eyes. “Let’s go cook something then, hm?” He turned around without waiting an answer and took a few steps. Then he noticed the only voice in the bathroom belonged to himself. He turned and looked at Rin, who was standing on his spot, with concern. “Something’s wrong?”

Rin gave him a shy look. “I… I can’t use these properly yet.”

_Right_. “Oh… Sorry, I couldn’t… Let me help you then.” Haruka came back beside Rin and offered his arm. “Let’s walk together?”

Rin nodded as taking Haruka’s arm. “M-hm.” After they got out and came to the beginning of the stairs, he mumbled grumpily. “How can you… use these things anyway?! Tch.”

Haruka first surprised then chuckled ever so lightly to Rin’s frustration. “None of us could in the first place so don’t worry.” Stepping down on the first stair, he held Rin’s hands. “Together.”

Surprised with Haruka’s chuckle, Rin looked at him blankly for a little while then nodded. “Y-yes.”

 

It took fifteen minutes for them to go downstairs and enter the big, airy kitchen. Haruka helped pouty Rin to sit on a chair then he started to prepare breakfast.

“Did you get tired?”

“Uh… A bit. But I should get used to it.”

Haruka gave Rin a look but didn't say anything until he prepared what was necessary. “Do you still want to learn how to cook?”

Rin’s tiredness vanished suddenly. “Yes!” He stood up and came beside Haruka as fast as he could. “Show me how.”

Haruka showed how he prepared the fish, how he prepared his own special sauce if he wanted, how he heated the pan and how he put the fish on the pan without burning his hand. He didn’t say a word while doing all these but with his look, he made sure that no question marks were left in Rin’s head.

Rin watched everything Haruka did closely and carefully, without averting his eyes for a second. While they were grilling the fish, he tried to touch it but changed his mind after feeling the heat and withdrew his hand in an instant.

Haruka noticed that of course.

“Be careful, you may burn your hand.”

“Burn? Does that hurt?”

“Yes.”

Rin asked in a low voice. “Then… This fish… Does it feel pain?”

Haruka widened his eyes in surprise. “Hmm… No. They don’t feel pain when they are out of water.”

“But I did. I..         got caught in that… fishing net. There was… something floaty… a boat? But I escaped… and get out of the water.” Rin paused a moment then looked into Haruka’s eyes and smiled warmly. “Then you came.”

Haruka returned his smile with a small one. “Right… Um… I took you here and… looked after your wounds and you got better…” Haruka paused a bit to find the right words. “If you didn’t, you would be like this fish… probably.”

Rin widened his eyes. _Probably with shock_ , Haruka thought. And he didn’t say a word until Haruka put the fish on two plates equally and took them to the table. Then he waited Rin to come and sit by himself. He also sat opposite of Rin after he set the table completely. Haruka showed Rin how to use chopsticks and fork. Rin looked at both chopsticks and fork then chose to eat with his hand.

After taking a bite and chewing it, Rin looked at Haruka… with almost the same look at the moment they met.

“Would you… eat me if I…was like this fish?”

 Now it was Haruka’s turn to widen his eyes with shock. “I… No! I didn’t… It wasn’t what I wanted to say… No I wouldn’t eat you. Why would I do such a thing?” He stopped speaking since he didn’t know what to say. “I… Do you want to eat something else? I can prepare something if you want?”

Rin shook his head side to side. “No… But Haru… Thank you.” Then he smiled widely.

Haruka also smiled slightly then returned to his meal. Then he found out Rin was quite… talkative.

_And he can use our language much better._

“I said this before but… I have my tail when I am in the water. But I have these when I am not in the water. They weren’t here last night because my tail hurt. But now… It is okay…” Rin touched on the little scar on his leg over the fabric of his sweatpants. “And~ when I have these I can understand and speak your language better.”

“These are legs.” Haruka touched his each leg. “Leg… Leg… Legs. And um… How did you learn our language?”

“Leg… Legs…” Rin grinned. “I… There are too many people in the ocean. I listened them. I started to listen them when I was little. I like sitting on the shore… But I didn’t get out when I was little! Um… When you go away from the shore… There aren’t many people. There are too many fish. On the shore there are too many people.” Rin paused. “Some people saw me sometimes. But they got scared and run away. They called me shark. But little people… children talked with me.” Rin grinned again.

Haruka smiled involuntarily. “Probably because of your teeth… I’m not scared of them though, they look… interesting.”

“You are the first human to say this to me Haru, hehe. My teeth… They are useful when I am in the water. And they are useful here too.” He took another bite from his fish.

Haruka watched Rin eating for some time then spoke in a low concerned voice. “Rin um… If you want to return to the ocean… You’re free to go. I mean, your wound is okay now so…”

Rin shook his head. “No. I don’t want to return. I want to talk with you. The ocean is always the same but here… It’s different. Can you… show me some other things?”

“I… Okay then. I think… We can try reading and writing things? Do you want that?”

Rin seemed excited. “Reading? Sure!”

“Let’s finish our breakfast then, it’s already noon.”

 

 

After a long day with Rin trying to read -because Haruka decided to leave writing for later in order not to tire Rin out too much- they were sitting and watching TV in Haruka’s blue shaded living room. Rin was laying on his side and his head on Haruka’s thigh. Haruka didn’t understand how they got to ‘sit’ like that but it seemed like Rin liked to touch Haruka. Now he was trying to understand the show on the screen. Haruka tried to explain how broadcasting works but Rin found that kinda complicated. So Haruka didn’t want to confuse Rin more.

When Rin started to snooze, Haruka touched his shoulder.

“Rin… Let’s sleep.”

Rin looked at Haruka with the corner of his half-open eyes. “In the water?”

“Do you want to sleep in the water?”

“I…” Rin sat up as rubbing his eye. “I want to sleep… in bed. With you. Can I?”

Haruka blinked his eyes couple of times. “I um… I guess.”

Grinning, Rin stood up and started tugging Haruka’s sleeve. “Let’s go then.”

Also standing up, Haruka let Rin drag himself to his own room after turning off the TV. Rin was leading him like he knew the way. Actually he could find the room with… what he remembered the night before. “Here is your bathroom right? Then… Here should be your bedroom. Right?”

Haruka smiled warmly. “Yeah.”

Rin entered the room, still holding Haruka’s sleeve, then realized he didn’t know what to do next. “Now what?”

“Now, we wear our sleepwear. But… I am already wearing them and since you don’t have any clothes, you can use them as sleepwear as well until we buy some. Just take off your hoodie.”

Rin looked at Haruka curiously. “Hoodie?” When Haruka signed what it is, he took it off. “And now?”

“Now we lay on the bed.”

Rin laid on the bed on his side and started to watch Haruka curiously. _He does that a lot_ , Haruka thought. After tidying up the room a bit, he turned off the lights an laid down beside Rin on his side, facing the other side. They were laying back to back but something was odd. Then Rin broke the awkward silence.

“Haru… Can you… do that thing you did last night?”

Haruka blushed slightly. _Good thing that he can’t see me_. “Do you want me to… hug you?”

“M-hm.”

Haruka thought of saying no. But he didn’t want to say no.

_It’s probably because I don’t want to upset him. And maybe I’m feeling indebted._

He turned to lay on his other side, to be the big spoon, and wrapped his arm around Rin’s waist loosely. “Better?”

Rin held Haruka’s wrist and made him hug a bit tighter as closing his eyes. “Yes much better. Good night, Haru.”

Haruka leaned his cheek on Rin’s nape and mumbled as closing his eyes as well. “Good night, Rin.”


	3. Sakura Petal: Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin and Haru going shopping. Mostly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [kaksinaisuus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kaksinaisuus) and [panthera_pardus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/panthera_pardus) :3 <3
> 
> Hope you enjoy reading these two dorks! :)

Haruka opened his eyes slowly… and saw red. He tried to get up suddenly but then he realized. _Rin_. During the night, he turned around and found a comfortable spot for himself on Haruka’s chest.  Haruka was glad that he didn't wake Rin up with his sudden movement. Actually he was still sleeping like an angel. Haruka smiled warmly to the sight then got up without waking Rin up. He covered Rin with the blanket completely. It was almost end of March so one could easily get sick.

_I wonder if Rin gets sick._

Making sure that Rin would be okay, Haruka left the room to go downstairs. Having Rin around was really like having a kid around so house could get messy in an instant. Haruka had no complaints though. He always liked doing chores. Also, he realized he didn’t mind if Rin turn the house upside down.

_It’s because… I brought him here, it would be unfair to him if I complain about it_. _Of course_.

After tidying the living room, Haruka went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He was planning to take Rin shopping. Also, he was planning to cook Rin new things. Before he started cooking, he opened the small window above his sink and smiled slightly but warmly when cold breeze brought some sakura petals into his kitchen. Taking and putting them aside he started cooking.

Until he heard a sad shouting from upstairs.

“HARU!”

Haruka dried his hands immediately and went upstairs climbing the stairs three by three… and didn’t slow down until he entered his bedroom.

“What?! What happened?!”

Rin was sitting on the bed. He looked pale… and he was crying.

Breathing heavily, Haruka went beside him and sat on his heels before him, holding his trembling hands.

“Rin… What is it?”

“I…I w-woke up and… I couldn’t… s-see you so I thought you left m-me.”

Haruka widened his eyes with realization.

“I… I woke up early and… didn't want to wake you up. I was downstairs, preparing breakfast. Sorry if I scared you.” He paused and cracked a small warm smile. “I won't leave you.”

_How can I be this sure?_

Rin sniffed as wiping his tears. “You won't?”

Haruka shook his head. “No.” _How can I be this sure?_

Rin smiled. “Thank you Haru.”

“Anytime. Now… Breakfast is ready.” Haruka stood up and did something that surprised even himself. He planted a kiss on Rin's head. “I'll be downstairs, come whenever… you feel ready.”

After receiving a nod and a wide bright smile, Haruka left the room to go downstairs.

 

As they were eating their breakfasts, Haruka was deep in thought. Rin noticed the silence which was unusual even for Haruka and cleared his throat hesitantly. “Um, Haru?”

Haruka raised his look from his plate. “Hm?”

“Are you… sad?”

Haruka frowned his brows a bit. “Sad? No…” Then he understood what Rin meant. “I was just… thinking about something.”

Rin raised his eyebrows and looked at Haruka curiously. “About what?”

Haruka hesitated. “Um… I… Rin, are you feeling alone?”

“Huh?” Rin thought a bit then grinned. “No. I have you.”

Haruka raised his brows slightly for a moment then shook his head lightly. “No, I mean… You probably have friends and a family in the ocean, right? Don't you miss them?”

“I uh… Well, I do. But my mother‘s always said I should do something if I really want to do it so…”

Haruka looked at Rin's beaming face for a little while, silently. “I get what you mean. Okay. So… Do you want to go out today?”

Rin grinned. “Yes!”

“Eat your breakfast then.”

 

After breakfast, Haruka gave one of his jeans, a long sleeved V-neck t-shirt and a hoodie. They were all a bit short for Rin… And a bit tight. But Haruka had to admit Rin was looking good.

“So… Are we going to… buy things like these?” Rin interrupted Haruka’s thoughts as looking at the clothes he was wearing closely and curiously.

“Well, yes... There are lots of different clothes so you can pick whichever you want.”

Rin’s eyes widened with excitement. “Can I?”

Haruka smiled. “Sure you can… But I will make sure that you choose proper things.”

Rin tilted his head to a side in confusion. “Proper things?”

“You’ll understand.”

They got out after both were ready. Haruka was planning to drive to the downtown but seeing Rin’s curiosity and excitement when he got out, he decided to walk there.

“Do you want to walk a bit? The place we’re going is not too far and you can see new things as walking. But you may get tired a bit so if you don’t want to walk…”

Rin frowned a bit as if Haruka had just insulted him. “I can walk.”

Haruka smiled slightly. “I know you can. I just thought maybe you wouldn’t want to walk that long.”

“If you walk, I will walk.”

“Okay, we’re walking then.”

_Competitive, are we?_

 

They arrived at the downtown in 45 minutes. During their walk, they met some people and couple of kids, petted a cat and her kitten and watched the ocean. When he saw the look on Rin’s face, Haruka decided to take him to the ocean the next day. When they got to the store though, Rin was talking about the kitten non-stop.

“It was so little Haru! And it was so fluffy I could die hehe... Um… Can’t we have one? I want to have one.”

_He said we_. “Do you want a cat?”

“I want a kitten! But well, yes I want a cat.”

“I should think about it first though… So~ let’s pick your clothes.”

“Haru~ please~… I promise I will be very well-behaved so please~”

Haruka smiled involuntarily. “I said I will think about it… Let’s pick your clothes.”

Rin nodded with a slight pout. “Okay.”

But he returned to his old excited self in a minute, when he started to choose clothes with slightly widened eyes. Haruka let him have a look at all kinds of clothes one by one. He didn’t mind waiting, he was going out outfit shopping with Makoto since he was a kid so he was quite used to this.

Looking at two different t-shirts, Rin mumbled. “So Haru, what should I do now?”

“You should try them.”

“Eh?”

Haruka signed the changing rooms. “You should put them on and see if they fit or not.”

“Oh… Should we buy everything I try?”

“No, we only buy whatever you like.” Because Haruka decided not to intervene unless Rin asked him anything.

Rin nodded and taking several clothes that Haruka said they were okay for Rin to wear went to one of the changing rooms with a stupid grin on his face. He tried couple of different outfits and asked Haruka’s opinion every time. They weren't like Haruka's style but he had to admit Rin had a quite appealing sense of fashion. Maybe even better than Haruka's.

“What do you think?” Rin asked with an unsure expression on his face, when he stepped out of the changing room for the sixth time with dark blue jeans and matching jean shirt on a crimson tanktop. All suited him quite well and were seeming… quite tempting.

“... What do I think? I think… I should have been a merman and you should have been a human in the first place. I mean… Wow.”

Rin smiled widely. “Really? Thanks hehe… Then… Can I buy this too?”

They already picked four other outfits. “I guess you can but we should buy some underwear as well, I don’t have enough for both of us.” Raising a brow, Haruka smiled.

“Oh… Right. Okay. This one was the last anyway.”

“Okay I'm waiting here then.”

Rin returned wearing Haruka's clothes he borrowed in the morning and they left the store to go another one after buying the outfits Rin chose.

“Actually I was expecting you to be confused but you surprised me again. Seems like you never cease to surprise me.” They were walking on the sideway, side to side and Rin was holding the arm of Haruka's t-shirt as looking around curiously and Haruka was carrying the packages.  Of course.

“Did I?” Rin turned his look at Haruka. “ I… only chose what I liked so…”

Haruka smiled. “And you're talking our language perfectly now.”

Rin paused then smiled. “All thanks to you Haru.”

Haruka stopped on his spot with raised brows.  _I don't deserve this gratitude_. “I… We're… Yeah.” They were in front of the store Haruka planned to go so Haruka went in knowing that Rin would follow. And of course Rin followed. They bought underwear and sleepwear for Rin and Haruka thought they had similar ‘taste’ about both.

“Good that you didn't overwhelm me with your perfect sense of fashion once again.” Haruka cracked a small smile to Rin as they were walking out of the second store.

“Or~ you already have a good sense of fashion about these?” Instead of tugging his sleeve, Rin decided to throw one arm around Haruka’s shoulder this time.

_I should have been annoyed but I'm not._ “Maybe… Anyway, are you tired? I mean…” Taking all packages to one hand, Haruka checked his watch. “For dinner, do you want to go home or do you want to eat outside?”

“Can we eat outside?”

Haruka nodded lightly. “Sure.”

“Then let's eat outside!” Rin grinned like a little kid.

Haruka smiled then turned and started walking towards a café.

“I know a place making good  fish burgers. I'm sure their hamburgers are good too.”

“Um, Haru?”

“Hm?”

“Are you eating fish… like all the time?”

“Well… I guess.”

Rin chuckled. “You should have been a merman indeed.”

Blinking his eyes, Haruka looked at Rin like a surprised owl. “Oh?”

“I mean… Even I don't like fish that much. Actually, I think I liked meat more than fish but you're eating that all the time. Oh, can you swim well?”

Haruka smiled slightly. “You'll see.”

“Huh?”

“I thought we can go to the ocean tomorrow?”

Rin frowned slightly. “Haru I said I don't want t---”

Haruka interrupted him. “To swim. Together. But if you want to stay after that, I understand. Oh, here it is!” Without waiting for an answer, Haruka got in the café and sat one of the empty tables.

Rin followed of course. “Haru, can we stop with this returning the ocean thing already? I don't want to return.”

A waitress brought two menus for them then left almost immediately. Looking at the menu, Haruka hummed. “Okay let's stop and eat something. Mackerel burger for me and… How's fillet steak hamburger with cheddar?”

Rin looked at Haruka like he was talking another language. “I have no idea what they are.”

“Do you want to try it then?” Receiving an unsure nod, Haruka called out to the waitress after leaving the menu aside. She came with a slight blush on her cheeks and talked without averting her eyes from Rin who was watching outside.

“What can I get you sir?”

Haruka cleared his throat and made the waitress to look at himself. “One mackerel burger and water for me, one fillet steak hamburger with cheddar and cola for my friend.”

Waitress nodded as writing down the orders. “I'll bring them right away sir.”

“Thank you.”

Glancing at Rin, waitress left taking the menus with her. Haruka watched her going until she was out of his sight. “Seems like she liked you.”

“Huh?” Rin turned his confused look at Haruka.

“The waitress. I think she liked you.”

“Is that so? Well, she seems like a good person.”

Haruka chuckled lightly. “Really Rin…”

Rin widened his eyes. “You did that again!”

It was Haruka's turn to be confused this time. “Hm?”

“You laughed!”

Haruka turned his look to a side. “No I didn’t.”

“Yeah you did! You should do that more often, you s---” Waitress brought their plates and drinks and after putting them in front of Rin and Haruka looked at them expectantly. Mostly at Rin.

“Is there anything else you want?”

Haruka gave her an irritated look. “No, thank you.”

Waitress blushed. “Enjoy your meals then sir.” Then she left.

Rin looked after her blankly. “She really seems like a good person but I didn’t understand why she is this persistent.”

Haruka paused and gave Rin the exact same look. “Just eat your meal Rin.”

 

After having their dinners, Rin and Haruka returned home. Rin wanted to help Haruka with the packages on their way back… and talked about everything attracted his attention non-stop. So that he was still talking while placing his new clothes in the drawer Haruka arranged for him in his wardrobe.

“I really liked that hamburger Haru, we should go and eat that time to time. And I don’t really get why you don’t like meat and like fish instead. I think I can eat it all the time.” Taking his new sleepwear and a tanktop, Rin stood up to take off his clothes. Sleepwear had little shark figures on it and Haruka couldn’t stop himself from smiling at it. And finding it kinda cute. “Oh and did you think about the kitten?”

Realizing he was simply watching Rin strip, Haruka cleared his throat and turned his look to the other side. He had already worn his sleepwear, a light blue t-shirt and gray sweatpants, and was sitting on the bed. “Kitten?”

“M-hm you said you would think about it.”

“Right… Well, I did.”

Haruka turned his look at fully dressed Rin and saw him looking at himself expectantly.

“We may get one… but not immediately. I have to be sure about… some things.” _I have to be sure if you’re staying here or not._

Rin grinned like a little kid. “Really? Yay!” He came and sitting on the bed hugged Haruka tightly. “Thank you Haru.”

Not being sure of what to do, Haruka patted Rin’s back softly. “Don’t mention it. Um… Let’s sleep.”

Rin broke the hug and nodded, still smiling. “Yeah.” Then he blushed slightly. “Can you… um, never mind.”

Haruka looked at Rin suspiciously. “You’re blushing… What is it?”

“I’m not!” But Rin blushed a bit more and averted his look. “I just… Um… I wanted to ask if you can hug me like you did this morning but it is kinda intimate, right? So never mind.” He gave Haruka an unsure side look.

Haruka frowned slightly. “Like this morn--- Oh.” He blushed slightly. “So you were… Yeah it’s kinda intimate but um…” Haruka paused a bit then continued in a low voice. “I think I can.” _And I’m still not sure why I’m not feeling annoyed exactly._

Rin looked at Haruka with wide eyes, still slightly blushed. “Really?” Then he smiled widely. “Thank you Haru! I… wanted that because… I think I’m feeling safe like that.”

Widening his eyes to Rin’s words, Haruka cleared his throat and laid down on the bed. “Shut up before I change my mind and lay down. After turning off the light.”

Still smiling, Rin got up and after turning off the light laid down beside Haruka, putting his head on Haruka’s collarbone and hugging his waist loosely. “Good night Haru.” He closed his eyes.

Haruka covered themselves with the blanket and leaning his cheek on Rin’s head wrapped his arm around Rin’s waist loosely. _This feels interestingly natural_. Making sure that Rin was comfortable enough, Haruka mumbled as closing his eyes as well. “Good night idiot.” Hearing a sleepy chuckle, he drifted into sleep smiling slightly.


	4. Sakura Petal: Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin and Haru's day at the beach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for making you wait a bit long this time :)   
> I guess I reflected some of my thoughts about RinHaru Mook to this chapter... and it was completely unintentional of course O:)
> 
> Again, special thanks to [kaksinaisuus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kaksinaisuus) and the birthday girl [panthera_pardus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/panthera_pardus) :3 <3
> 
> Hope you all enjoy! :)

Haruka opened his eyes with the buzz of his phone. He didn't use his phone much so he even forgot its existence sometimes. But there it was, on the same spot he left after bringing Rin home. Haruka got up trying not to wake Rin up, and taking his phone got out of the room. Still, he tried to make sure that Rin would hear his voice if he woke up while he was on the phone. He checked the ID and raised his brows slightly before answering.  It was Makoto. His one and only best friend since childhood. And the only person who could read Haruka like an open book.

“Makoto.”

“Haru~! Thank god! Where were you?!”

Haruka smiled slightly to Makoto’s worried voice. “Sleeping.”

Makoto paused. “You were sleeping? At this hour?”

Haruka checked his watch. It was 11.42. “Yesterday was a tiring day.”

“But you're on leave right? How did you manage to tire yourself this much?”

It was Haruka's turn to pause. “How do you know?”

“Oh… I um… I have ways… Never mind that, you didn't answer my question?”

And you didn't answer mine. “I had some things to do.”

“Haru~ that's not a proper answer!” Makoto paused a bit but getting no reaction from Haruka he continued. “Okay, fine. The real reason why I called you is… Nagisa's throwing a party tonight and we all will be there so he wanted me to invite you as well. Will you come?”

“I… That's troublesome.” He didn't like parties or that kind of activities and since they became adults, he tried not to attend unless it was a birthday party.

Also I can't leave Rin alone. And I can't introduce him to them yet… Not that I want to be alone with him or something of course.

“Come on Haru, it'll be fun!”

“I don't want to. Also… I promised to another friend.”

Makoto paused for a while. “Okay, who is she?”

“Huh?”

“The lucky girl. Who's she?”

“I'm… It's not… It's… What are you talking about?”

“Oh… That's also okay Haru, you know that's not a problem for us. The only thing that matters is you being happy.”

Haruka blinked a few times after Makoto finished talking with a cheerful voice. “I… It's not like th—”

“Oh I should probably hang up, right? You probably have some things to do. Don't worry I won't tell anything to anyone until you want me to. See you!”

Haruka looked blankly at his phone after Makoto hung up. _I didn't get what happened just now_. He returned to his room and laid back beside Rin after leaving his phone on the end table. He turned his look at Rin who was sleeping soundly and started to think.

_So Makoto meant… But… Am I really…? But he is a merman. He will want to return to the ocean at some point. I shouldn't be._

Lost in thought, Haruka watched Rin sleep for about an hour, until Rin woke up and smiled sleepily but warmly.

“Good morning Haru!”

Seeing Rin’s smile, Haruka widened his eyes. _Oh God…_ “Good… Morning.”

Rin’s look became curious. “Something happened?”

“Um… Not really. I just… I couldn't get used to you being here I guess.”

“Oh…” Rin widened his eyes a bit with understatement then grinned as stretching like a kitten. “I'm sure you will in the future since I'm not going anywhere.”

_Really?_ “We will see about that… So… Are we still going to go to the ocean?”

“To swim?” Getting a slight nod from Haruka, Rin smiled. “Yes! Hmm… Can we race? Oh and…” Rin blushed a bit… for some reason. “I have something to say as well but I will when we get there.”

“Hm?” _I wonder what it is_. “ Then… we should have breakfast and get ready before I die from curiosity.”

Rin looked at Haruka worriedly a bit then realizing he was joking he chuckled. “Yeah, let's do that.”

 

After a quick but rich breakfast, they arrived to the beach. The town Haruka living in –now with Rin- had quite beautiful public beaches but Haruka preferred to come one specific spot that no body discovered yet. Except himself obviously… and Makoto. And now Rin.

“Haru~ here is beautiful~!”

Haruka couldn't help but smile at Rin's huge grin. Also he seemed…peaceful to Haruka, especially when he closed his eyes and smiled every time a gentle breeze blew from the ocean.

“Right? Here is my… hidden spot. Nobody knows here.” _Except Makoto_. “So I come here to rest my head.”

Rin widened his eyes. “Hidden spot? Oh…” He covered his mouth with both hands as talking. “I won't say anything to anyone, I promise!”

Haruka's smile widened a bit. “I know you won't, don't worry.”

“So Haru… Since you shared a secret with me I should share one with you right?”

Haruka was taken aback for a moment . “Huh?” He waited Rin to repeat his question but that didn't happened. “I… guess. Why?”

Rin averted his eyes as… blushing? “I um… I have to tell you something.” Rin's attitude made Haruka worry a bit but before he could say anything Rin continued speaking. “I… You know I am a merman so… If you drink my blood… You can have a tail. Not forever but for some time. And… If you eat me… you can be immortal.” Rin turned his look at Haruka with a shy expression. “And I want you to drink my blood.”

Haruka looked blankly for a moment then widened his eyes. "Huh?"

Rin blushed a bit more. "Um… I want you to drink my blood and become like me. For some time to… enjoy the water."

"Really?!" The idea of having a tail - _Like a sea creature_ , he thought- excited Haruka. But then he realized something. "But this means… You have to bleed yourself. I… can't hurt you." He paused a bit. "Also, I can swim as fast as you can so… No need for that."

Rin looked him in the eye. "It won't hurt because I want you to drink it."

Haruka felt his heart started to beat fast because… _I don't know why_. "But um… Then… I will if I can't catch up with you, deal?"

Rin smiled happily. "Okay! But… You can't drink from the tail. You should drink from here or here." He was showing Haruka his neck and wrists as talking.

And Haruka's heart was pounding like crazy. "Uh… okay. I will… try to remember that."

 

After several laps, Haruka gave up. "Okay okay… Seems like… I can't catch up with you." He simply collapsed on the shore panting. _This was one of the best swims I've ever had._

Rin grinned. "So this means you will keep your promise and accept my offer?"

"I… guess."

"Good." Rin was grinning wider as flicking his tail calmly. "Neck or wrist then?"

Haruka looked at Rin as he was looking at Haruka expectantly.

_Neck or wrist… Neck is… too intimate. Almost like… So neck is a no for me. …Is it really? It's not a good time to decide on this I guess. Wrist… It's relatively better. So wrist is okay then?_

"No I can't hurt you." When he noticed that Rin didn't understand, he continued. "I have to bite or cut you so… I can't."

Rin sighed. _With exasperation probably_. Then he did something surprising. Rin bit his own wrist and offered to Haruka, with a soft smile on his face.

"I said you won't hurt me. Drink it."

Haruka stood up and went beside Rin. He licked the bleeding wound without averting his eyes from Rin's. Then he felt a strange feeling started from his stomach and spreading towards his legs and feet. And the rest of his body. It wasn't a bad feeling but it was… strange. Haruka looked down at his legs… or towards where his legs were a minute ago. Now, there was a beautiful blue tail. Haruka tried to move his foot but instead he wriggled his tail awkwardly. Also his fingers were a bit different as well. They looked like… webbed. When he looked closer, Haruka saw Rin had the same kind of fingers. He didn’t notice them before. Also… Haruka felt his eyes changed a bit as well.

He turned his unbelieving look at Rin.

"I have a tail."

Rin chuckled. "Yeah, I told you so." He glanced at Haruka's tail. "Yours look a bit more beautiful than mine though… That's not fair." Then his wide smile fades suddenly. "But if my people hear I gave you my blood… That would be bad news for me. Good that you don't know any merpeople other than me." He smiled again but this one was kinda sad… and worried. And Haruka hated it.

"Do you miss them?"

Rin paused. "Not really… But I missed my sister and my mother. But it's okay."

Haruka felt that Rin didn't want to talk about it… again. Not right now. So he let that go for the moment. "If you want to talk about it, I am here to listen. But for now… Let's swim?" _Swimming is the only thing I want to do right now._

Rin grinned again, as usual. "Yes. Want to race?"

 

"We will settle that next time." Rin was smiling excitedly as they were floating in the water to rest a bit.

They had raced until they were breathless then they decided it was a tie.

Haruka smiled slightly. "Yeah."

They continued floating side to side quietly. Rin was the one to break the silence.

"Haru… I have something to say."

Haruka gave him a side look. "Oh… Another secret?"

"Um… Kinda…"

Rin was blushing again. And Haruka was curious. He stopped floating to look at Rin properly. "What is it?"

Rin also stopped and looked Haruka in the eyes… until he averted his eyes shyly. "Haru… If we… kiss when I have legs… I will lose my tail. And if we kiss when you have a tail… it will stay with you. Forever." He looked back at Haruka. "But that kiss should be… on here." He trailed Haruka's lips with his fingertips.

Haruka widened his eyes in shock. He will be my reason. "I um… Good to know... I mean… I guess…" Haruka started to blush gradually as he was speaking. "I… want to kiss you… but um… if that's the case… I can't ask you to become a human for me. You are a sea creature after all… A real one. A beautiful one so… Good to know." _I can't kiss him. And I can't believe that I've just admitted that._

Rin looked at Haruka as if… he wasn't expecting this kind of an answer. Then he smiled. Widely. "I can be a human for you. I'm curious about your world… And you."

Surprising with Rin's answer, Haruka returned his smile with one of his warm small ones. "Come to think of it… I can be a merman for you as well. And about my world and me… I can tell and show you whatever you want to learn but… Leaving the ocean behind completely is a huge decision so… I want you to think it over well."

Rin nodded lightly. "Okay I will… but until I decide… You won't leave me?"

Haruka looked at Rin and gave him the widest smile he had ever received since the day he met Haruka. "How can I leave you anyway?"

 

They returned home after it got dark. Haruka wanted them to watch the sunset because Rin said he hadn't seen the sunset before. And Rin was talking about it while Haruka was locking the door.

"I didn't know the sky can be that shade of red Haru! It looked really wonderful!" He paused and smiled widely. "Thank you Haru."

Haruka smiled. "I promised you, right? So.… Since we had dinner before returning home, I guess we can sleep?" He didn't want to admit but the races with Rin really tired him out.

"M-hm, I think we can."

Haruka held Rin's hand before starting walking. "Let's go then." Then he remembered something. "Also… I wanted to take you to the cinema but… I have to go to work tomorrow. But I think I may be at home the other day so we can g---"

"Why are you leaving me?"

Rin's sad voice made him stop on his spot and look at Rin. His eyes were watery and he was looking like he was about to cry.

Haruka started to panic.

"I'm not leaving you! It's not... I won't leave you. I just…" Haruka paused to take a breath. "I'm not leaving you... I will… go out in the morning and return when it starts to get dark."

"Can I go out with you?"

"… No."

"Why?!" Rin's voice started to quaver.

Haruka held Rin's both hands and spoke in a soothing voice. "Because, the place I will go, there are too many people… And I don't know how…they react when they meet you so…"

Rin started to calm down as he was looking into Haruka's sapphire orbs. "But you will come back right?"

"Yeah I will… Actually… Do you want to talk with me when I'm not here?"

"… Can I?"

"Sure… I will show you, come on." Haruka let go of one of Rin's hands to take him to the living room, to show and explain how the telephone works.

"I will leave my number here so if you press the same numbers one after the other and wait for me to answer, we can talk okay?"

Rin looked at the telephone doubtfully as Haruka was writing down his phone number on a paper beside the telephone. "Okay. I think."

Haruka smiled to Rin's look. "I know you can do it… Also… I will call you time to time so if it starts to ring, answer it okay? And… Can we sleep now?"

After giving the telephone a last doubtful look Rin nodded. "Yes we can."

Haruka held Rin's hand and started walking once again. "Let's go then."

They climbed the stairs in silence but Haruka knew that Rin calmed down. They got in the room and changed their clothes in silence but Haruka knew it was okay. Until he broke the silence to clarify something important.

“So… how do you want to sleep tonight?” Watching Rin’s expressions, Haruka sat on the bed.

Rin was looking at his new t-shirt as if… since it was the first time he saw it but he raised his look when he heard Haruka’s calm voice. “Um… I don’t know…”

Haruka frowned a bit. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes. Just…”

_He needs to feel secure._ “Then I’m choosing today. Come here after turning the light off.” He laid down on the bed as waiting for Rin to join.

Smiling slightly, Rin nodded and after turning off the light laid down beside Haruka, putting his head on Haruka’s collarbone hesitantly and hugging his waist loosely. “This one is just like… before?”

Haruka covered themselves with the blanket. Turning towards Rin a bit, Haruka leaned his lips on Rin’s forehead and wrapped his arm around Rin’s waist tightly. He even intertwined their legs loosely. “Still feels the same?”

Rin paused but then he shook his head side to side slowly. “No, much better.” Haruka could hear his smile on his voice.

“Good then.” Without sparing his lips, Haruka started to caress Rin’s hair softly as humming a soothing song. “Sleep.”

Rin nodded lightly as burying his face on Haruka’s chest. “Good night Haru.”

Hearing Rin’s breath became even gradually, Haruka mumbled as closing his eyes as well. “Good night Rin.”

_I think I fell in love with you._


	5. Sakura Petal: Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haruka goes to work and someone startles our dorky RinRin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for making you wait for a LOOONG time (*-_-) But I'm a graduate student and it was really hard to survive during the Fall term (；ω；)
> 
> And again, special thanks to [panthera_pardus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/panthera_pardus) and [kaksinaisuus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kaksinaisuus) :3  
> Also~, happy happy two-days-late birthday to [kaksinaisuus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kaksinaisuus) ! (´• ω •`) ♡
> 
> Hope you all enjoy! :)

Next morning Haruka woke up quite early like he always does…when he isn’t on leave of course. At 5:50 am. It was a very early hour even if he is on duty on that day. But he reaches to the station barely in time because of…his well-known “spending the morning in the bathtub” habit.

However, he cut his habit short that morning and went downstairs to prepare breakfast after wearing his uniform. For two. Mackerel for himself and pancakes for Rin. _He said he doesn’t want to eat fish._ He also prepared lunch for Rin. Beef of course.

When he was about to start eating Rin came down to the kitchen, rubbing his eye.

"… Morning Haru."

Haruka smiled at his sleepy voice. "Good morning Rin."

"Why are you awake at this hour?" Rin was pouting slightly.

"Hmm… Because I have to go to work."

Looking blankly at Haruka, Rin sat at the table. "Work? …. Right. You're leaving me alone today."

Haruka looked at Rin. "… I'm not. … Well, I am yes but not like that. I will return in the evening."

Rin leaned his chin on his palm after putting his elbow on the table. His pout was more visible. "M-hm I know… And I will be alone until then."

Haruka remained silent for a while. "I…guess you will, yes."

"M-hm… Anyway. Did you prepare something for me?" After asking the question, he started smiling brightly.

Haruka blinked a few times at this sudden mood change. "I… I did. Pancakes for breakfast, beef for lunch." He signed first the counter then the fridge. "And I thought we can prepare dinner together when I return."

Rin stood up and returned to his chair with his plate. He was still smiling. "Sounds good. That means… you won't be away for long."

Haruka smiled slightly. "That's what I was trying to say idiot."

 

After Haruka finished his breakfast, he got up and washed his plate quickly.

He dried his hands then went beside to Rin.

"I have to go now."

Rin was already watching what Haruka was doing with his eyes so he only nodded. "Okay. And you will be back in the evening?"

"M-hm exactly. As I said, you can call me whenever you want. And… Don't answer the door or phone, okay?"

"Okay~." Rin paused a bit. "Wait. You told me you'd call me when you weren't here."

Haruka widened his eyes a bit in realization. "Right… Then… I will call you hourly, okay? When this long one comes here?" Haruka showed the minute hand on his wrist watch. "You remember the clock, right? I taught you the other day?"

Rin looked at the watch then nodded. "M-hm I remember. Okay~ I won't even touch them."

Haruka smiled slightly. "No need to be tensed or something. Just ignore them."

Rin smiled brightly. "Okay!"

"And you can do whatever you want in the house. You know almost everything anyway." _No I'm not worried of course._ “So… Can I go? If you don't have anything else to ask me, I mean?”

Rin nodded. “M-hm. I won't answer the phone unless it's you. I won't answer the door as well, I know you have your own thing…key? I know you have your own key to open it. I can do whatever I want in the house.” He paused a moment then continued excitedly. "Oh! The lunch is in the fridge and we will prepare the dinner together."

Haruka's smile widened. _Nothing to worry about then._ "Yes. I'm going then." He planted a kiss on Rin's temple then started to walk towards the door, still talking. "Don't hesitate to call me if anything happens. Or whenever you want to."

Rin also called out,  still smiling brightly. “I will~… Um… Have a nice working day!”

Haruka smiled just before he got out. ‘‘Thanks.’’

Rin's smile faded out when he heard the door closing. "Yeah… I missed you already."

~~~

In the afternoon, Rin was watching TV as having his lunch. Late lunch. _Haru wouldn't mind… probably._ He found some of the programs hard to understand and some of them meaningless. He decided to ask them to Haru in the evening. Finally, he found an underwater documentary about sharks and started to watch it. He remembered Haruka was watching that channel but it didn't attract his interest then. He was also an underwater creature after all. Now he wanted to see the underwater from the viewpoint of humans.

Every time the teeth of a shark was shown on the TV, Rin involuntarily touched to his own teeth. Suddenly he remembered Haruka saying _"Probably because of your teeth… I’m not scared of them though, they look… interesting."_. He grinned. _Seems like it was really because of my teeth._

When he finished his plate, he took it to the kitchen. Seemed like he really didn't rush his lunch since it started to get dark slowly. He looked out from the window for a while then tried to wash his plate like Haruka did. Then he observed the newly washed dishes. _I…suppose he is doing it like this._ He shrugged lightly then turned to return to the living room to continue watching the documentary. But suddenly, he heard a knock at the door.

Rin froze on his spot in the middle of the hall with widened eyes. And he panicked. _Who is this now? Why would anyone knock the door? What should I do?_

The stranger on the door knocked one more time and called out with a kind voice. "Haru~? Are you at home?"

Rin blinked a couple times. _So he knows Haru?_ He approached the door and looked through the peephole silently. The man at the door was…tall. Taller than Haru. Taller than Rin. He had short, olive brown hair and droopy green eyes. He looked kind but Rin was scared anyway. _Haru said I shouldn't answer the door._

"Ah~… I thought you'd be home today too…" The tall man mumbled to himself sadly. “I can hear the TV though…” He sighed and looked at the house as if he could see there was someone in the house or not then turned to leave.

Rin watched him going until he got out of his sight. Then he startled when the telephone started to ring. Rin run to the living room but he didn't answer the phone immediately. He looked at it suspiciously for a little bit then realized and checked the clock. It was 6 pm. _It's Haru!_

"… Haru?"

"M-hm it's me. I'm getting back hom—"

"There was someone at the door!"

"… What?"

"Someone knocked the door but I didn't open it!"

"I… I will be home in 15, okay? Don't worry."

"M-hm okay. Bring me something." Rin grinned.

“… Fine idiot, I will bring you something.”

~~~

Fifteen minutes later, Haruka was in front of the door, carrying a package for Rin. He was kinda worried…  No, he was quite worried about…Rin. _Who would come here during the day? Everyone knows I’m working._ He opened the door with his keys and gets in, calling out to Rin at the same time he was taking off his shoes.

“Rin! I’m home.”

He heard a noise from the living room then the next thing he remembered after that was Rin throwing his arms around Haruka's neck.

“Haru! You’re finally back! Someone came… He said ‘Haru are you at home?’ but I didn’t open the door. I wouldn’t open the door even if he said ‘Rin are you home?’ anyway. You said I shouldn’t.” He moved away to look at Haruka, smiling brightly.

Haruka looked at Rin with wide eyes. “I… I’m glad you didn’t. …Are you okay though? Scared?”

Rin paused a moment then nodded lightly. “M-hm. A bit.”

“I’m sorry… I…” Haruka paused then changed the topic. “I want to know what happened and who he was but let’s talk about it during dinner? I know I promised you that we would prepare the dinner together but… You said you liked hamburgers the other day so I brought us burgers. And something else… Let’s see if you like it or not.” He signed the package in his hand with his eyes.

Rin eyed the package then nodded enthusiastically. “Okay! I… Can I prepare them? … Oh! Haru, I washed the dishes today! And thanks for the lunch.”

Haruka smiled slightly at his beaming face. “Anytime… Then… Let’s go to the kitchen? You can show me the dishes you washed. Then you can prepare them while I’m taking off my uniform?”

“Hmm… Sounds perfect! Let’s go then.” Rin held Haruka’s free hand and took him to the kitchen. He stopped in front of the dish rack and showed the dishes proudly. “So… Did I make it right?”

Smiling, Haruka looked at them closely. “M-hm, seems like you’re quite good at this.”

Rin widened his eyes a bit. “Really?..”

“Yeah, they are… spotlessly clean.”

“I… I’m really happy to hear that.” Rin smiled brightly. He took the package and started to look what was in it. “Then… You can go change your clothes; I will prepare thes---Haru, what are these?”

Haruka, who already left the kitchen to go to his room, he returned back to the kitchen door to look at Rin. “Hm? … Oh those… They are cupcakes. They said it was today’s special so I wanted you to try them as well.”

Rin looked at the cupcakes suspiciously. “I… Okay. Anyway… You can go.”

“Okay… I’ll be right back.”

 

After they finished their burgers with a little chitchat, of course fish burger for Haruka and fillet steak hamburger with cheddar for Rin, Haruka returned from the kitchen with a tray; their cupcakes and two cups of coffee.

“I think you will like coffee but… Well, honestly I don’t have any idea how you’d think about the cupcakes…”

Haruka put the tray on the coffee table and waited for Rin to try what he brought. Rin looked at them suspiciously again and reached out to take the coffee.

“Be careful, it’s hot.”

Rin paused a moment then grabbed the cup and took a sip carefully. “Hmm… M-hm,  I liked this.”

Haruka smiled slightly but warmly. “Just as I thought… I prefer tea but you seemed like a coffee person.”

“… Coffee person?”

“I mean you prefer coffee. Sure you can try drinking tea as well but…” Haruka shrugged.

“Oh… Okay. Then… I think I should try this one too, right?” He put his coffee on the coffee table and took a cupcake. “This smells…different.”

“That’s because it’s sweet. I… I’m not that fond of them but Makoto likes them so…”

“Who’s Makoto?”

Haruka paused a moment. “Oh… Well… He’s my best friend. We know each other since we were little so…”

Rin thought about what Haruka said a bit. “Is he…someone tall with green eyes?”

Haruka looked at surprisedly. “How do you know?”

“Well… He was the one who came here today. After I talked with you on the…phone, I had my lunch while watching a documentary very similar to you were watching the other day, it was very interesting by the way, then I took my stuff and washed them. Then he came.”

“Oh… He was probably worried about me.”

“… Worried? Why?”

“I… Well, he invited to a party—“ Haruka stopped when he saw Rin’s questioning look. “He invited me to a friend’s house…to have fun but I didn’t go. So, he probably got worried.”

“Oh… Why didn’t you go though?”

“Because I…” _Because I didn’t want to leave you alone or taking you there to meet I don’t know how many people suddenly._ “I don’t like parties.”

“Oh… Okay then.” Rin thought a little while as looking at his cupcake. “Maybe you should call him.”

“M-hm sure I will. …Don’t you want to try that?”

“I will…” Rin sounded unsure…but he took a bite anyway…and screwed his face. “This is too…sugary.”

“… Is it too sweet? Oh… They said that was the least sweet one but well… Seems like you don’t like sweets, hm? Okay then, you don’t have to eat it.” Haruka smiled assuringly.

“No I don’t like sweets!” He put the cupcake back on the plate Haruka brought the cupcakes on.

Haruka chuckled ever so lightly. “You didn’t have any problems with the pancakes though?”

“They… They weren’t that sweet.” Rin mumbled.

“I’m kidding.” Haruka smiled at Rin assuringly once again as taking his own coffee.

“Oh… Sorry. I um…” Rin took a sip from his almost-cold coffee then put it back on the coffee table after a slight shrug. “Haru… You should laugh more often.”

Haruka looked at Rin surprisedly. “Hm?”

“I said… You should laugh more often. You look so, um…cute? And… I feel happy when I see you laughing.”

Haruka gaped at Rin for a little while then turned his look to a side with a slight blush on his cheeks. “I… Shut up.”

Rin looked surprised at the sudden retort he got from Haruka but he understood the reason later and grinned. “I mean it though.”

“…Shut up.” Haruka put the cups and the plate on the tray and stood up with it. “I will take them to the kitchen. And I’m tired so let’s sleep?”

Rin looked at Haruka with widened eyes. Then he chuckled. “Sure. I’ll be waiting upstairs.”

 

When Haruka got into the bedroom, Rin was sitting on the bed and “playing” with Haruka’s snow globe, completely ready to sleep. He smiled brightly when he noticed Haruka and put the globe back it place, on the side table.

“The little dolphin inside it is so cute.”

“It was a gift from my grandmother for my 6th birthday.”

Rin looked at Haruka curiously. “Oh? How was she like?”

Haruka paused a moment. “She was the one who raised me and I really loved her. But…can I tell the rest later?”

Rin nodded lightly. “Sure… Did I...upset you?”

“Hm? … No of course…” Haruka smiled warmly. “It’s just… I wanted to talk about her… in detail. She was quite important to me.”

Rin widened his eyes a bit in realization…then smiled. “I see. However you want then.” He got into the bed and held the duvet open for Haruka. “You said you were tired.”

Haruka’s smile was still on his face. “Yeah I am.” he turned off the lights an laid down beside Rin on his side, facing Rin this time. He wrapped his arm around Rin’s waist loosely and leaned his forehead to Rin’s. He was truly tired so he closed his eyes immediately. “Seems like it’s your turn to put me to sleep. Good night Rin.”

Rin smiled brightly. “Seems like you didn’t say that to escape from the topic. You’re really tired.”

Haruka opened one eye to look at Rin. “…Of course I am. And I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He closed his eye again. “Good night.”

Rin chuckled lightly. “Yeah, good night Haru.” He also wrapped his arm around Haruka’s slim waist loosely and started to hum a song his mother sang for him and his sister when they were little. Yes, of course merpeople can sing as well.

Even when humming, Rin was able to hear Haruka saying “It’s so nice to have you here.” just before he drifted into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the chapter :3  
> Probably there are like 2 chapters left of this lovely story and I will do my best to publish them as soon as possible (ᵔ.ᵔ)
> 
> I will be quite happy if you leave a comment or some kudos (if you haven't already) ^_^
> 
> See you soon! (I hope (⌒_⌒;) )


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